JCA Today

CEO Message

It’s hard to believe that this is our final newsletter of the year. Thank you to the many people who have contributed, read, commented and shared our monthly communication. We really appreciate your support and we welcome your continued feedback and even suggestions for themes.

This month our focus is on women and the many ways that they continue to drive our community forward. In 2022 National Council of Jewish Women Australia celebrates ‘100 years of purpose, passion & power’. A century of striving for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms. Such important work.

In NSW we celebrate the work of Mum for Mum and the support they provide new parents as they navigate life with a baby. Having recently undertaken this journey I can finally fully appreciate how vital this service is particularly for parents who may not have family, friends and support network around them.

We also acknowledge the many years of service of Lana Kofman in her role as Manager of Volunteer Services at JewishCare. What an incredible contribution Lana has made to our local Jewish community and the many Russian descendants among us.

We congratulate our own Tanya Shmulburd who celebrates 43 years in Australia this month and 5 years with JCA. We are extremely proud of the gender and cultural diversity within our JCA team.

We look forward to returning with a New Year newsletter at the end of January.

Wishing all of our local Jewish community a rejuvenating and hopefully sunny December break.

Shabbat Shalom,

Alain Hasson
CEO

Member Mention
Mum For Mum

The Village That Is Sometimes The Family

With close to 200 volunteers, National Council of Jewish Women NSW’s Mum for Mum program continues to grow and thrive as the demand for support has increased particularly in the Randwick and South Sydney areas.  

With inclement weather and Covid exhaustion, many people are still isolated, anxious and withdrawn. This is where Mum for Mum volunteers make a huge difference.  As a non-denominational home-visiting program, trained volunteers who are mothers themselves visit an expectant mum in the last trimester of pregnancy and for the first year of their baby’s life in order to provide emotional support. With the changes in people’s lifestyles, where most mothers are not living in close proximity to their families or the supports with which they grew up, Mum for Mum aims to relieve isolation and reduce anxiety and depression, through creating a safe and caring space for mums to delight in their babies and develop secure attachment.

With fortnightly training and supervision offered to volunteers in subjects such as active listening, mental health, domestic violence awareness and cross-cultural communication – there is so much more to the program than only the deep one on one relationship which is formed with the new mother. The program has also seen profound outcomes with the telephone counselling they now offer to mothers who live too far to benefit from face to face visits.

Those providing help also benefit from the program.

“I regularly receive grateful feedback from our volunteers saying that their M4M training has vitally benefited them when parenting their own children, particularly when their own children become parents”. commented Nadene Alhadeff, CEO of Mum for Mum.  “Such is the impact that we are now considering running support groups in the community for new  grand parents not only for our current volunteers.”

In exciting news, the program has been nominated as a finalist in the Mental Health Matters Awards. This award recognise the achievements of individuals and organisations large and small who have worked to improve understanding, awareness, service provision and the general mental health of our communities in NSW over the previous year. The nominating committee wrote to the organisation “Congratulations! Mum for Mum has been chosen as a finalist for the Community Initiative Award. The nominations this year were of an incredibly high standard, and the judging panel found your nomination to be one of the standouts in this category!”

Here are just a few quotes from their volunteers and participents:

"No matter how many years you are involved in this program there is always something to be reminded of or learn."

"The courses I have participated in have given me a great insight into many other peoples' plights and have taught me to be more tolerant of others."

"My life is much richer since joining MUM FOR MUM, I truly thank you for all you do."

JCA is proud to support the work of Mum for Mum and commends their volunteers on their outstanding commitment to growth and support. 

If you are a parent with older children and have the time to commit to ongoing training and weekly home visits, Mum For Mum would love to speak to you.
  
Please apply through their website www.mumformum.org.au or contact Nadene Alhadeff at [email protected]

Women That Wow!

Leah Mitchell - Program Coordinator at Y2i

From a young age, my parents have instilled in me deeply, the importance of community, and it has therefore always been pivotal part of mine, and my family’s lives.

                                                                      I grew up in the warm St Ives Jewish community and attended both KTC and Masada College (where I graduated). I spent my gap year in Israel on the B'nei Akiva program MTA, and on my return, volunteered as a madricha in the youth movement, eventually serving as the Deputy Director. I recently earnt my Bachelor of Commerce from UNSW and have put my skills and knowledge to use at Youth HEAR (Holocaust Education And Remembrance), where I currently sit on the Management Committee as the Digital Strategy Officer.

Working at Y2i (and within the JCA office) brings a true depth of meaning to my life. I love being involved in a space which has allowed my skills to develop further, but also has real impact on the trajectory of people’s lives, allowing individuals to connect with their Jewish identity and delve deeper into our heritage by visiting Israel at a uniquely impactful age. I am grateful for the opportunity to give back to an organisation we have all gained so much from as members of the Sydney Jewish Community, and to be part of a team who inspire me daily – it is especially wonderful, to work amongst so many strong female mentors.

Yvonne Engelmann - Holocaust Survivor, Sydney Jewish Museum

"Every week I talk to groups of children. It is wonderful to see how they listen. I know I've reached them when I hear the kind of questions they ask. It gives me great hope and satisfaction that I am able to do it."

In November we celebrated the 95th birthday of Holocaust survivor Yvonne Engelmann. She survived the horrors of Auschwitz and immigrated to Australia in 1948. She's been making a lasting impact on thousands of visitors, young and old for three decades now at the Museum.

Gaby, 26 - CSG Volunteer

(In order to ensure confidentiality of their volunteers is protected, no photo has been provided by CSG)

CSG enables me to give back to the community. It’s a noble, necessary cause and our community wouldn’t be able to live so freely without the service that CSG provides. What I found surprising was that throughout my 6 years as a volunteer, no matter how much effort I put into the organisation, I was always receiving more in return. CSG built my confidence, my sense of self and my purpose. The biggest area of gain for me was professionalism & leadership opportunities. In your late teens and early 20s, it’s difficult to sit in job interviews and have many experiences to draw upon when answering curly interview questions. By 22, I had run a team of 33 volunteers for 2 years, led group sessions with more than 150 people and sat in board rooms with directors, CEOs and law enforcement. Thanks to CSG, I could draw on these experiences when it mattered the most to set myself up in the early years of my career. I had never expected this to be a by-product of simply wanting to give back to my community.

Since joining CSG, I’ve started my own business which is where I spend most of my time. I love spending time in the ocean and with my family and friends.

Courtney Winter-Peters - Stand Up CEO

I have always looked to Stand Up as an organisation that I am proud of and identify with as a Jewish person who is passionate about and committed to social justice. I am constantly humbled to be leading this organisation that exists to channel the energy, compassion and expertise of our Jewish community into work with marginalised communities.

I am grateful to have the incredible support of JCA to be able to grow our presence in NSW.

Jo-Anne Hurwitz - Stand Up Director

"I love being on the Stand Up board because it's an organisation that aligns closely with my personal values. I believe the programs they coordinate genuinely and successfully engage the Jewish community in social justice initiatives by collaborating and learning from the communities we support"

Jo has been a part of Stand Up for the last 13 years as a passionate volunteer on our Derech Eretz program. Her journey started as a participant on Derech Eretz (a school holiday program to the Aboriginal communities of Toomelah and Boggabilla) in 2009 and developed into a leadership role,  facilitating this opportunity for other young Jews . She has led a number of groups to Toomelah and Boggabilla and helped develop the subsequent Camp Connections and Young Adult programs. Following her Observership Program at BJE, Jo is thrilled to have recently joined the Stand Up board. It's a wonderful opportunity to give back to an organisation that she feels so passionately and capably delivers on its promise, enabling the Jewish community to create long term and meaningful partnerships with marginalised communities. 

Natalie Ranki-Goldman - Stand Up Director

I have been involved in volunteering in the Jewish community since I was a Madricha and then Head of Hineni of Australia, through to JCA, UIA and more. I joined Stand Up because of the values that were instilled in me by my family.

My grandparents are Holocaust survivors and social justice is one of our family's core values. They instilled it in my mother, who then instilled it in me and now I have instilled it in my children. By social justice, I mean not being bystanders, to speak for those who do not have a voice, to stand up for what is right, and fight for the rights of people who can't. When I was approached to join the Stand Up board, I was first honoured to be asked and although I was already working with the NSW Asylum Seeker Centre and on the Emanuel Synagogue Social Justice Committee - I felt that I wanted to focus on making as great an impact as I can and Stand Up has given me that opportunity, to share my lived experiences and give back to the community. 

It is such a great team and I love working together with them, especially in building up Stand Up's presence here in Sydney. Courtney Winter-Peters is a fantastic CEO who is leading the organisation forward in leaps and bounds. And despite some obstacles created by COVID, she has built up a robust team in both Sydney and Melbourne to deliver fantastic programs and expand our reach even further. We are in exciting times and I am thrilled to be part of the team!

Zoe Guenzl - NCJW NSW Youth Committee Founder & Chair

Don't underestimate the power of a group of Jewish women. I find working with the Jewish community, in particular the female Jewish community, to be an extremely goal-focused, action-oriented, all-hands-on-deck, rewarding experience.

I can trust that an idea or project will be executed in the most meaningful, yet efficient, way.

Our launch event for Empower Her was a particularly amazing experience and outcome for me. 40 people showed up to hear 4 amazing talented, successful and humble Jewish women share their experiences with achieving their dreams and the challenges they encountered along the way. The dynamic was mesmerising and I was very proud of my team for putting together an amazing first event. 

Ruth Shteinman - NCJW NSW Volunteer

After learning about the plight of so many living in period poverty I established the Days for Girls group at NCJWA. From the first few events it has grown continually over five years. During the lockdowns I was truly fortunate to have a good friend help me in transforming a community-workshop process into a make-at-home network. This answered the hopes of all our volunteers wishing to do something worthwhile in isolation.

That seventy volunteers signed up in less than four hours says it all about our wonderful community.

After learning about the plight of so many living in period poverty I established the Days for Girls group at NCJWA. From the first few events it has grown continually over five years. During the lockdowns I was truly fortunate to have a good friend help me in transforming a community-workshop process into a make-at-home network. This answered the hopes of all our volunteers wishing to do something worthwhile in isolation. That seventy volunteers signed up in less than four hours says it all about our wonderful community.

Davina Ash - Chair Of The Jewish Women's Breast Cancer Network (Tikvah V'Or)

"I love working in the Jewish community, and being a part of such a great organization like the National Council of Jewish Women NSW division as chair of the Jewish Women's Breast Cancer Network (Tikvah V'Or).

Being a breast cancer survivor I can really help support and connect women with breast and other cancers too.  I also enjoy fundraising and being an advocate for breast and all cancer research within the community."

This year Tikvah V'Or has supported Zonta Botany Bay who make and distribute the Breast Care cushions to patients in hospital post - surgery.  In October, as part of the Centenary celebrations for National Council of Jewish Women, Tikvah V'Or helped to organize the Pink Ribbon Breakfast in the Sukkah and raised money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.  My sister-in-law Julie Chiert and I organized through her business Challah_with_Love and Tali's Kosher Kitchen and raised money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation and Pancare Foundation with a Pink Ribbon and Purple Ribbon Shabbat in October and November.  We have also recently donated to Breast Cancer Trials for research.  Our Facebook group and network has grown this year and we have been reaching out to members giving them a Jewish connection and support, whether they are at diagnosis, surgery, treatment or survivorship.

Job Opportunities

JCA
Education Officer (part-time)
JCA is looking for a high-energy, passionate young educator with initiative and strong organisation skills. This newly created role entails the development and implementation of a JCA school education program within JCA supported schools. Click HERE to see position description.
If you are interested in this role please send a letter and resume to [email protected]

Mount Sinai College
Various Opportunities
https://www.mountsinai.nsw.edu.au/community/jobs-msc

JewishCare NSW
Various Opportunities
https://jewishcare.com.au/work-with-us/current-vacancies/

Montefiore
Various Opportunities
https://montefiore.org.au/careers/residential-care-corporate/

COA Sydney
Various Opportunities 
https://www.coasydney.org/jobs

Maccabi NSW
Marketing & Events Specialist
https://maccabi.com.au/hiring

Events Worth Sharing!

Stand Up: Raising Awareness In Community & Beyond!

Women. Life. Freedom. An Iranian Awareness Event.

On Tuesday, Stand Up held an informative online event in partnership with  NCJWA, NCJWA (NSW) and NCJWA (VIC) in which viewers were privileged to be joined by two incredible guest speakers from the Iranian community, Nos Hosseini (she/her) a Spokeswomen & Secretary of the Iranian Women’s Association and Sarve Naz Almasi (she/her), Advocate & Iranian Kurdish refugee who both shared their lived experience as well as insights into why women are standing up against injustice. 

Hosseini and Almasi, both victims of the regime and having arrived in Australia as refugees, spoke freely and openly to the online crowd of close to 100 people about what is currently happening in Iran. 

Moderator, General Manager of Stand Up Speedy Shatari (they/them), explained the concept of “tikkun olam” to the speakers, and how as Jewish people we are compelled to repair the world and that we pride ourselves on being upstanders and not bystanders. With this in mind, Shatari asked the speakers what we, as the Jewish community, can do to support the people of Iran.

The answer seems simple, “raise awareness” said Almasi “as much as you can. Use social media channels, speak to your friends and family members and tell them what is happening in Iran”.
Hosseini closed the night with optimism - "The beauty of what we saw (from this event) was people coming together, irrespective of their beliefs and their religions. We are united and cohesive." This is how we create change.

Bookings open for our 2023 Step Up: B'nei Mitzvah Program Book Here!

NCJW NSW: Coming Up!

Janet Merkur:  "I have three members of my family whose lives were saved because my grandparents put them on a Kindertransport. As the Kindertransport Association’s Australian chairperson, I bring to various audiences such as Rotary, the Sydney Jewish Museum and the Centre of Ageing the plight of children trapped in war, their rescue and the horrors and joys they faced. "

For more details head to https://ncjwansw.org.au/events/

'Her Name In Lights' - Grab your ticket here!

Mount Sinai College: Register Today!

NSW Jewish Board Of Deputies: Join Us! 

Join us for the annual commemoration event – hosted by the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies and other communal organi

sations – in recognition of the plight of Jewish people who were expelled from Islamic countries in the 20th Century. Learn more here!

Sponsor Spotlight
Centennial Property Group